


Talentswap One Shots

by wiccanapprentice



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Talent Swap, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Relationships, Romance, Talentswap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-29 19:22:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12091734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wiccanapprentice/pseuds/wiccanapprentice
Summary: A series of one shots exploring the life and friendship of the famous ballet and Nihon Buyo dancer; Peko Pekoyama, and her best friend; the equally famous DJ Kazuichi Souda. Many of these one shots will be based on threads between myself and a friend I write with on Tumblr. Others will be things we haven't actually written out just yet. Take a peak into their lives and witness these friends navigating school, crushes, romance and their eventual fall into and recovery from despair.





	1. A Meeting Between Two Future Ultimates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All great things have unexpected beginnings. How did this unexpected friendship start?

This new school was just as bad as her old one. All the kids here were super mean just like her old school. What was wrong with her? Why were people so mean? Mama tried to explain that they were silly kids and they just didn’t understand that she was different and that being different was okay. Peko tried to tell herself she was nice and good but the kids would say mean things and tell her she was too pale and her eyes were too big. Why did that make her less fun? It wasn’t fair! Her arms tightened around her legs and she buried her face deeper into her knees to muffle her sniffles.

This was all why Peko was hiding in a quiet corner of the playground far away from the others, hiding her face in her silvery braids and rubbing her nose in the sleeve of her red cardigan. This spot was particularly dirty and grimy what with the recent spring drizzle and it being on grass. Stains were on her white tights and silvery skirt. It wasn’t fair… it wasn’t fair! She mumbled as much, in English at first before remembering that the other kids didn’t like it when she talked like Mama. She heard someone approaching and she started to shuffle away, expecting more names and more laughs. When she heard no words, Peko decided to risk it to look up and see if it was maybe a teacher instead. If it was, Peko would need to lie about why she was hiding. But to her surprise, it wasn't a teacher at all. It was a boy. A boy with bright blue eyes and shaggy black hair. She didn't recognise him but then, she had only been at this new school for a couple of weeks. She hadn't memorised the faces and names of all of her new classmates yet.

“W-What do you want?”

She asked, trying to sound brave and she winced as she realised she was talking like Daddy but her voice sounded like Mama’s. That was bad. Now this boy was going to pick on her or pull her hair or-

“H-Huh?”

He was sitting next to her… and smiling… and gave her some of his snack.

“ _I’m Kazuichi, what’s your name?_ ”

He was talking like Mama… he was talking like her Mama! And she understood him! And now that she was really looking at him and not just figuring out if he was another bully, she saw lots of things she saw in the mirror. He was a little paler than most just like her and he had blue eyes but they were big just like her red eyes. He was like her… she wasn’t alone. For a fleeting moment, Peko felt a flicker of hope and warmth in her chest.

“ _…P-Peko… m-my name’s Peko._ ”

“ _You’re new, aren’t you? You’re in my class._ ” Kazuichi was saying as got comfortable on the damp grass next to her. he didn't get too close, it was almost as if he knew deep down that there was a line or a bubble that he shouldn't cross just yet.  “ _They say mean things about me too. But it’s okay because now we’re not alone. We can look after each other and make the meanies go away._ ”

He went quiet, all confidence suddenly dropping as he shakily held out a hand and he slowly, hesitantly asked another question.

“ _Do you wanna be friends?_ ”

Friends? She’d never had a friend before. She just had Mama and Daddy and Nanna. No one ever wanted to be friends with her because she was different. They made fun of the things she ate and the way she spoke and the way she looked. But then there was this boy in her class who had come up to her and given her some of his snack and he was pale and big eyed and looked and sounded different too. At five years old, Peko shook the hand of someone who would become the most important person in her life.

“ _O-Okay._ ”


	2. Show and Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peko shares an important part of her life with her new friend when no one else will listen. Kazuichi shares something important to him in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of those things that hasn't been plotted out yet so this will be heavily edited once I drop a line to Kazuichi mun.

Show and tell was supposed to be a fun bonding experience between young schoolmates. It was assumed that it would help some kind of friendships foster, help the nervous darlings find common ground with each other. All very well and good except when a certain new student has managed to find the courage to stand up in front of her peers, many of whom call her names and some just make innocent misjudgements, and not a single person listened as she attempted to talk about the precious thing she brought in with her. Which was why she was now gently fiddling with her trinket, once again hiding in a corner instead of playing or doing work. But she wasn't left alone for long as a familiar figure came and sat next to her. Small, gentle, very shy with slightly too pale skin and slightly too big eyes just like her. She'd struck up a friendship with this boy, Kazuichi, barely two weeks ago and while they weren't usually far from each other these days, they still seemed very hesitant around each other. Considering their history, it was no surprise. Both had been knocked down by cruel words and could scarcely believe they'd found some kind of support in someone who was just like them. Like every conversation they had, it started with an awkward silence as they just sat next to each other before one of them found the courage to break it. Today, it was Kazuichi.

"It's pretty." He commented. In English of course. No one else mattered, it was just the two of them in this little bubble and English seemed to be their go to when they wanted to keep things private. "I couldn't hear what you were saying. Will you tell me what it is?"

Peko's finger's gently ran up the spines of her little trinket. She opened it and snapped it shut a few times. She didn't seem to really be watching what she was doing, more like fiddling with it as she sorted her thoughts. "Why? No one thought it mattered. Even when we listened to that one kid talk about their dumb pet rock."

"That's mean and we're better than that," Kazuichi reminded her before pulling a little trinket of his own out of his pocket. "This was my Mom's. I always keep it around but I don't like letting people know I have it in case something happens."

Peko blinked in surprise as she looked at the precious thing. Kazuichi was saying he tended to keep it a secret but was willingly showing her. She kept her hands to herself, understanding the sentiment; she was lucky to have been given her own little treasure for this event. Open... snap... when she opened it again, Peko kept it open.

"Th-This is my grandmother's favourite dance fan. She's a dancer. Everyone in my family is. She says there was this one festival that wanted her to dance so bad, they made her the most beautiful fan they could think of."

"What kind of dancing did she do?"

"Nihon Buyo. Daddy and Mama do different styles and I'm gonna learn from them some day. Grandmother was still at school when this was made for her... she went to that famous school in Tokyo."

"Woah! She went to Hope's Peak?!"

"Uh huh!" She was getting more comfortable, speaking with more enthusiasm and passion. "She only ever used this fan once and now it stays in her room. It was so pretty she didn't want it to get ruined. She's got a lot of old fans that she used a lot and the sunlight took some of the colours out of them. She didn't want that to happen to this one. Look, it's even got her name in kanji written on it. It's even her favourite colour."

As the pair skipped out of the school gate together when the day ended, Peko smiled brightly at her family. She didn't see Kazuichi drop his smile and walk sullenly towards his own guardian.


	3. Greetings Through The Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Greetings between friends are a tradition that are often started out of nowhere and can be both a great comfort and an inside joke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When they're making that anti bullying ad, I suggest listening to Sound of Silence by Disturbed. It's what I had in mind when writing.

The first time it's said, they're six years old and well settled into their friendship. Woe betide the teacher who tried to put them in different classes and separate them; no one would ever underestimate a pair of six year olds with a slightly unhealthy overly dependent friendship. Peko skipped into the classroom, backpack on her back and spotted her best friend fiddling with the instruments again.

"Hi Kaz!" She chirped as she sat down next to him. He'd grabbed a drum and was tapping out a rhythm which she was soon matching by tapping her fingers against her skirt. "What's up?"

"The ceiling." Kazuichi responded. He was clearly distracted and just spoke without thinking. Considering the sudden mortified expression on his face, he obviously hadn't intended it. "W-Wait! I didn't mean that! I-"

Peko was just giggling behind her hand in response. "No it's okay, I think it's funny. And you're right. There's a ceiling up above us."

* * *

 By eight years old, their friendship is much less dependent and much more healthy. They're both more comfortable with interacting with others but always come back to each other. Peko was half asleep at her desk having just returned from Hokkaido for a dance competition when she felt arms wrap around her shoulders and turned around. True, they weren't so dependent on each other for company and validation any more but being away from her best and first friend for a week had been tough.

"Kaz!" She shifted in her chair to hug him properly. "What's up?" It was her usual greeting by this point though she did scowl playfully at him. "And if you say the ceiling again, I'll bop you."

Maybe she should have expected it when he gained a mischievous smirk. "The sky~" Was his response. He looked so happy and proud of himself for that. His expression was just glowing, it was so good to see him again.

"...I can't even be mad at that. I missed you too much." Peko sighed as she tightened her hug. "But do that again and I'll seriously bop you."

"No you won't~ You love me too much~"

"Yeah... yeah you're right."

* * *

They're nine when they can finally start another tradition that had taken a lot of convincing but Kaz was able to stay over for the weekend that was closest to his and Peko's birthdays. This year, their birthdays were on the weekend anyway and both of them were giggling at staying up so late in their sleeping bags and snacking on various candies that had been saved up for and bought by both of them. As they were only young and starting to have a sugar crashes, they were both starting to wind down and get pretty sleepy. At some point, they'd shifted their sleeping bags up against each other and were currently curled into each other's sides, barely fighting off the desire to sleep. This was always the best point to start a random meaningless conversation.

"...sup Kaz?" Peko asked through a yawn. It had gone midnight, she knew that much so it was technically a new day.

"The ceiling." Kaz mumbled back.

She gently and lazily poked his arm in response. "Dork."

"Your dork. Now go to sleep."

"Mkay."

Peko's family still had blackmail photos of the two of them curled up and clinging to each other in their sleep.

* * *

 Not even a few months later, things take a scary turn. Peko found her best friend looking incredibly pale and covered in bruises while out with her mom doing some shopping. There was no light in his eyes, he was barely responding and his breathing didn't sound right. She touched his hand and it felt kind of cold.

"Mom! Over here! I think something's wrong with Kaz!"

The shopping trip had been abandoned and he'd been taken to the Pekoyama home. He was warmed up, his bruises iced and his other injuries treated and cleaned but he was still sleeping. Peko had barely left his side and made herself a little nest out of pillows and blankets on the floor so he could sleep comfortably on the sofa. She'd spent a good couple of hours sipping at mugs of hot chocolate and just holding her hand a little above his mouth and nose to make sure he was still breathing; she refused snacks, she ignored anything her family tried to say to her. He was unconscious and she was almost catatonic. Until Kaz stirred.

"H-Huh?" He mumbled. "What..."

He was confused but he'd been to Peko's often enough to recognise it. How had he got here? Why was he here? He looked down and spotted Peko sitting on cushions on the floor, arms wrapped around her knees and a blanket slipping from her shoulders.

"Kaz! Y-You're awake!" Unable to hug him in case she hurt him, Peko settled for holding his hand instead. Her free hand rubbed her watery eyes. "S-Sup?"

There was a few beats of silence before Kaz smiled softly and squeezed her hand. "The ceiling." He said it softer than usual.

It was something so incredibly normal for them to cling to in the face of something so scary especially as Kaz finally opened up to Peko and Peko alone about his father.

* * *

 By thirteen they've both built reputations for themselves with their respective interests. Peko is an accomplished dancer is often invited to festivals and talks related to her chosen tradition style of Nihon Buyo, the same as her Grandmother as well as being involved in shows and competitions for her mastery of ballet. She's even started some tentative choreography of her own. Kaz is a prodigy in music circles. He's been a guest star at a lot of parties hosted by the well known and influential. He's known for making his own sound effects and fiddling with his own DJ equipment. He's got a deft touch when it comes to sampling and recording what he needs to when making new music. It's well known that they're close with many media outlets suspecting that they have a young budding romance which makes them laugh whenever they catch sight of those reports. It's so far from the truth it's hilarious. They're a little young for most social media sites so they haven't bothered with that just yet so they had to get other people to put out the word of their joint performance. Considering how close they are, joint performances for an audience was actually pretty rare. They didn't want their careers tied together, they wanted to be known for their own accomplishments and skills separately so they kept their lifelong friendship on the down low but hinted in interviews.

This project, when they heard about it, was one they called ahead about almost immediately. A channel wanted an anti bullying ad to be played in between shows in the after school slot on television and to be accessible to young children and teenagers. Having been at the receiving end of bullying for most of their lives, neither of them could even think of skipping over this. They didn't care if their agents felt it was bad for their respective images, this was something they had to do. In her anger, Peko's American accent had started to bleed into her speech and Kaz was able to point out how one of the crew's face crumpled just a little and remind them that they were victims too. They were half American and it had taken years to embrace and be proud of that fact.

They had no choreography, no fully fleshed out ideas, nothing set in stone for this contribution to this campaign. The station owners were just flattered that two such well known creatives from their target audience had stepped up so quickly. The cameras were set up, the lighting had been perfected and they had Kaz's iPod and speaker to blast out their chosen song. It was an American song that resonated with both of them and they'd given translations to the crew. Just before action was called, Peko squeezed Kaz's hand.

"Sup?" She whispered to him as she waited for the music to start.

"The ceiling." He whispered back, making her crack a smile. Something normal for them to find comfort in before doing something so emotionally difficult.

They surprised everyone as Kaz started to sing. He was a pretty decent singer and he held nothing back. Each word and note was raw and emotional as if this was a personal message from his own experiences and his own heart. Peko only enhanced that feeling. She improvised each move on the spot yet everything flowed so naturally but there was none of her usual restraint and grace. She let her emotions show on her face, she let her body reflect how she was feeling which meant that her hands were shaking and tears were gathering in her eyes but each stance was strong, each movement was sure. They complimented each other, they were a powerhouse together and they had everyone in tears. It was an ad people would remember for years to come.

* * *

 The pair meet up when they're around fifteen, each with exciting news that they can't wait to share with each other. Kaz waves Peko over when she finally gets to their favourite cafe and she takes a seat, ordering her usual for the cooler weather; a hot brownie slice and a hot chocolate with marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles.

"Suuuup~" She greeted him in a sing song tone. In her coat pocket, she clutched the letter she was just waiting to show it to him.

"The ceiling~" He replied in a similar tone and smugly sipped his Dr Pepper. "I've been doing this for years, you should expect this by now."

"Oh my God, you've actually become that kind of dick." Peko replied as she facepalmed. "Don't be that dick, dude."

"Too late~ I'm your dick. You can't get rid of me."

"Okay forget your bi dick for a minute-"

"Wow excuse you, pan tits."

"-...rude." She took a sip from her hot chocolate and stirred it quickly. Too hot to drink for now. "Anyway, I got some amazing news to share with you."

He was grinning back at her and reached into his own jacket pocket. "Actually, me too."

Both of them slapped down their acceptance letters, saw the crest on each and broke into another grin before gingerly hugging each other over the table. "We're going to Hope's Peak!"

* * *

The last few days had been pretty rough. Peko was up to her eyeballs in choreography requests and homework and Kaz had started several projects of his own. Which was bad because neither of them were good at keeping up with basic self care when they got into their respective zones. It had been their classmate Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu who had gone to Peko first to drag her to the cafeteria and watch her get some bread, milk and a piece of fruit into her. Kuzuryuu was okay, he was fun to bicker with and since Kaz had a giant crush on the guy, Peko had to learn to be okay with the yakuza's constant presence. It had only been a couple of months since Kaz struck up a tentative friendship with the other boy and even less time since Peko struck up an acquaintance with him so she had a feeling that Fuyuhiko wouldn't know what to expect when they arrived at the little studio Kaz had locked himself away in. He was fiddling with things, what exactly Peko had no idea, but he was incredibly pale with very obvious dark circles under his eyes. Peko sighed as she approached him with a bottle of water and some crackers.

"Sup you overworked dork?" She mumbled to him as she forced the bowl of crackers into his lap. "C'mon, let's go take a nap."

"...the ceiling." He mumbled back, giving his best friend a weak smile and getting a gentle flick to the forehead for his trouble.

" _Hey!_ " Fuyuhiko snapped from he doorway. " _Mind including the guy who doesn't speak English?_ "

They both blinked and chuckled. " _Sorry, Kuzuryuu, it's just an inside joke we've had going since we were kids._ " Peko explained.

" _Could you let sensei know we're busy again please?_ " Kaz asked. " _We're probably gonna go take a nap._ "

" _Wait... together?_ " Fuyuhiko asked and they both nodded. " _Y-You're high school students!_ " Peko and Kaz blinked in confusion then stared at each other then at Fuyuhiko before breaking down into laughter. " _What's so funny?!_ "

" _You think we're actually going to get up to something?_ " Kaz asked between laughs.

" _God no! We're practically siblings. When we said we were gonna take a nap, we meant that literally._ " Peko continued.

They just left Fuyuhiko with that revelation.

* * *

In their second year at Hope's Peak, Kaz's crush finally came to a head. In other words... too strong for him to control and he was currently sitting in the dance studio with Peko leaning against the wall as she finished up her practice for the morning.

"Sup Kaz?" She asked and mentally counted down to his usual response. He was probably the only person that could walk into the dance studio and not immediately grind on Peko's nerves for intruding on her sanctuary.

"The ceiling." He grumbled as Peko came and joined him on the floor and he offered her own water bottle to her.

"And your big ass crush on the gangster~"

"Stooooop." He whined. "I can't help it! He's cute and he's all about sticking to his guns and it is really easy to see that he's a softie under all the yakuza posturing."

"Gaaaaayyyy~" Peko gently teased him.

"Biiiiiii." Kaz replied, sticking his tongue out at her and swiping her water bottle for a drink.

"I can see it though... I mean, I was crushing on him for a little bit too. But it really was just a crush for me and besides, how's a yakuza and a dancer gonna be compatible? I'd just drag him and his family into the spotlight."

"...what are you saying?"

"I think it's more than a crush and I think you should tell him and give it a shot. Worst that can happen is that he doesn't feel the same way and things get a little awkward for a while. Best that happens? You get a great boyfriend."

"...I'll think about it."

* * *

Even when the sky is read and the city is littered with bodies, these two continued to meet up but their attitudes were incredibly different. Kaz was apathetic, armed with CDs he threw like daggers or disks. His aim was accurate and deadly. Peko was a giggling wreck, she spoke in third person and similies, she seduced and spread despair rather than fighting. That was what Kaz was for anyway. If Kaz was apathy, Peko was madness.

"Suuuup~" Peko purred as she draped herself on her fellow despair.

There was no real warmth between them any more as Kaz simply shrugged her off and let her fall to the ground. "Get off, you harlot and drop the act. There's no one else here."

Her wild eyes cleared up a little and Peko dropped her insanity act. Her voice dropped back to its natural tone and she gave off an aura of a grown woman instead of a crazy teenager. "You never let me have any fun. Besides, the insane schtick confuses people. It's much easier to confuse and seduce a hopeful mind into despair when their mental defenses are already weakened."

"Uh huh, be proud of that when you can seduce a member of the Future Foundation. They've got a game plan y'know. Some of us have disappeared."

"I heard... but we won't be so foolish, riiiight~?"

* * *

A strange beach, a rabbit and now a two toned bear telling them to kill each other. When the moon was high and Peko was sure everyone was in bed, she snuck to Kaz's cottage. They'd quietly agreed on it earlier so he'd left his door unlocked so she could quietly slip inside. She flopped down next to him and smiled weakly at him. Today had been so crazy and now...

"Sup..."

"...the ceiling."

No joking, no warmth, just familiar words to try and comfort them in this strange situation.

"You felt it, didn't you?" Peko asked slowly after several minutes of uneasy silence. "Like something's not quite right."

"And then it slips through your fingers when you think about it." Kaz finished her thought and nodded. "Yeah I picked up on it. Got real loud when you showed up. Any idea what it could be?"

"...no. And that's the worst part. We've always been so aware of things going on around us but this..."

"There's something going on, we know there is but we can't pick up on what exactly it is."

"Yeah. But here's the thing, Kaz. I also get the feeling that we probably won't like it if we find out... maybe it's better if we stay ignorant."

* * *

There was a lot of fuss and noise as Peko slowly came round. Above her, she saw two faces; Kaz and Kuzu. Wait... when had she given Kuzuryuu a nickname? They weren't that close, were they? But they both looked relived to see her awake. Why? She'd just been asleep... hadn't she? When Peko thought on it, she suddenly remembered Mikan's looming face and the feeling of a scalpel digging into her flesh and the sound and sensation of bleeding out overnight. She remembered dying. But... how was she here? How was she alive? Why did her boys look so relieved adn so different from when she last saw them?! ...her... boys? Plural. Kaz was her best friend but Kuzu? ...the nickname again. Why? WHy why why why why?! Peko didn't understand! It must have shown on her face because Kaz was suddenly hugging her tight and this, Peko could deal with. It was familiar, it made her feel safe and she clung to him. She heard him making shushing noises and soon, her frustrated and confused tears subsided as she calmed down.

"Hey Peko... sup." Kaz whispered in her ear.

"...the ceiling." Peko whispered back, smiling and already clinging onto the remembered familiar joke. It felt like it had been so long since she heard it. Not just the joke but her best friend's laughter.

"I'm glad you're back. We've got a lot of explaining to do."

 


	4. The Time They Were Separated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Events in this talentswapped killing game went slightly. This is the moment when the two best friends were cruelly ripped apart. For those who are squeamish, please be aware that there is a somewhat graphic description of Peko's dead body. I will put a line of stars before and after the description for those who would rather skip it.

For the third night in a row, the victims of the despair disease were put to bed and Hajime and Fuyuhiko left the hospital as they were not allowed to remain to help Mikan. They bid the nurse goodnight and stepped outside; nights were always cooler than day and it was a relief. It made it easier to tell if any heat was actually a fever or if it was just normal temperatures from the tropical heat. As the boys stepped out and made their way to the bridge, they spotted a familiar figure wandering around.

"Oh for the love of..." Fuyuhiko mumbled as he marched up to the girl. "What the hell are you doing out here, Pekoyama?"

"Uuuggghhh." Peko groaned back. "I've already had a lecture from K-... from Souda. Don't you get on my case too. Evening, Hinata, how're you doing?"

Hajime didn't even get the chance to greet the dancer before Fuyuhiko snapped back at her. It was strange how she wasn't scared or even slightly threatened by him. Hajime had hung out with her once and when he'd asked about it, she'd mentioned that there was nothing he could say that would hurt her or scare her cause she's likely heard it all before. He had to wonder what kind of life she'd had to get such a thick skin.

"Then maybe you should've listened to him and stayed inside!" Fuyuhiko growled.

Peko uncrossed her arms and leaned over Fuyuhiko, using her extra height to tower over him as threateningly as a dancer could. "News flash, asshole, I'm a dancer. I hate staying still for too long and the motel is driving me crazy! I had to go for a walk before I came down with cabin fever!"

She was met with two very blank expressions. "Y'know, when you're stuck in the same enclosed space for way too long and it starts to make you feel restless and messes with your sanity?" More blank expressions... she sighed. "Never mind. Let's just say I couldn't stand to be inside any more and I couldn't sleep so I figured I'd take a walk to burn some energy and make me sleepy." She sounded antsy as she spoke before her red eyes narrowed, zeroing in on Fuyuhiko seeing as he was the one who had come up to her and started their bickering. "Wait... were you thinking I was about to kill someone?!"

"Fuck no! You're too nice to do it! Plus, how much strength does a dancer have?" Was Fuyuhiko's response only to shudder a little as Peko glared at him.

She kicked off her sneakers, now only standing before both boys in her lycra shorts and sports bra before going into the pose known as en pointe. Her toes were curled beneath her and her knees locked in place and she'd done it as easily as she breathed. Peko just stood in that pose for a good couple of minutes before speaking again in a cold tone. "I can do this for hours. It hurts like hell without my pointe shoes cause those at least have a block of wood inside of them that takes some of the weight off my toes. I have plenty of strength. I can do this balancing on a stranger's arm and trust them to catch me if I fall. I don't have the emotional strength to kill, I would never do that! But don't you dare doubt my physical strength!"

"Then why don't you use that physical strength and prance on back to the motel?!"

"Fuck you, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu! Fuck! You!"

"That... was kinda cruel, man." Hajime murmered as Peko stomped away, flat footed again and carrying her sneakers.

"Hey, it got her to leave and get back to the motel, didn't it? She's out of danger from the disease and anyone with screwy ideas."

* * *

As the sun rose, Hajime was running towards the hotel. He'd seen a horrifying video and he was incredibly worried about the person in it. He could only hope that his mind was tricking him. Outside the motel, he started arguing with Tanaka only to spot Souda coming from around the side of the building. His appearance was so sudden that Hajime had to stop his train of thought and pay attention. The DJ looked exhausted and incredibly worried. His hands were shaking despite being cupped around his mouth and there were bags under his eyes.

"Souda?" Hajime asked as the DJ approached.

"Have you guys seen Peko? She didn't come back last night." He sounded kind of scared and Hajime noted how he used Pekoyama's given name. He knew they'd been hanging out a lot but were they already that close?

"I haven't seen her. I ran straight here from the hospital. There's something happening at the music club! I think someone's going to hang themselves!"

"O-Okay that's bad! Real bad! I'll... I'll meet you there! You go one way, I'll go the other, hopefully we'll find whoever you think is in danger and Peko!" Souda suggested before taking off in one direction while Hajime ran the other way, taking Chiaki back to the music club with him.

The news hadn't been good. Hajime, Nanami, Tsumiki and Kuzuryuu had broken into the Titty Typhoon only to find a hanging body to Hajime's dismay which triggered the body discovery announcement and summoned everyone else at the motel. The body had been lowered and the bag removed the head which revealed the life and soul of the group, Ibuki Mioda. As Hajime looked around he spotted that two people weren't here; Souda and Pekoyama. Feeling a sense of dread settle into the pit of his stomach, Hajime stepped outside and spotted Kazuichi right there, clutching at something and looking incredibly panicked and lost.

"Souda?" He asked. He recognised what the DJ was holding, he'd seen it last night when he and Kuzuryuu had left the hospital. It was one of Pekoyama's sneakers.

"I heard the announcement. Did you see who it was?" He sounded calm but Hajime heard the cracks and saw how he shifted his weight; he was forcing his calm.

Hajime nodded, face full of regret. "Yeah, it was Mioda... Did you find Pekoyama yet?"

"Not yet. Sh-She's around. I know she is. I just hope she's okay. We were meant to meet up last night before sleeping and she never showed up. She's always been a little flakey and absent minded but she's never forgotten best friend time."

Through the worried and passionate words, Hajime only took notice of one very interesting thing. Best friends? Apparently Souda could see something in his expression.

"I'll explain later... no. We. We will explain later. Cause Peko's fine. She has to be fine. She just... probably started running through some routines, fell asleep somewhere, left her sneakers lying around."

"Do you want some help looking?" Hajime asked, getting a meek nod in return.

* * *

Kuzuryuu ended up helping out too. The two of them started from the music club and headed back towards the hospital seeing as Souda had been found Pekoyama's sneaker in this general direction. The three boys were checking as much as possible but there wasn't exactly much to check on the paths or in the empty space between buildings. No benches, no bushes, nothing really to hide behind. They got to the hospital and found a few empty supply boxes stacked haphazardly. And next to the boxes?

"Hey!" Souda ran up and snatched up Pekoyama's other sneaker. His hands shook more and his face became paler. "I don't like this. I really don't like this."

Souda stepped around the side of the boxes and headed behind the hospital only to to let out a scream. To Hajime and Kuzuryuu, it sounded Souda was having his heart ripped out so they followed in his footsteps only to see the DJ kneeling in a pool of blood and screaming at Pekoyama's dead body.

******************  
It was an ugly sight. Cuts across her torso, stomach and throat and really roughly sawn or snapped pieces of wood acting as stakes that were impaled through her palms into the ground keeping her there. Rags had been shoved into her mouth but had now fallen limp as her muscles had relaxed as she'd bled out. Her eyes were blank and staring up at the sky, face forever frozen in an expression of terror and pain. Hajime could only watch as Souda rapidly pushed on her ribcage, constantly and rapidly mumbling under his breath but they couldn't catch every single word. Not all of it was Japanese. Hajime wasn't familiar with all of the words but he heard... English and Spanish? But the parts he could understand? It was truly heartbreaking.  
*****************

"Peko! No no no no no no. Peko don't do this to me! C'mon... one two three four five... c'mon! Peko don't you dare leave me here alone!"

All three boys heard the body discovery announcement. Souda looked up at the nearby monitor, glared at it and continued. Hearing the second announcement, the others arrived and all took in the strange and heartbreaking sight of the friendly DJ trying to restart Pekoyama's heart despite all the signs that she was clearly dead. Looking around, Hajime saw that Kuzuryuu had an odd look on his face. Like he wasn't sure if he should be crying or not. Like he was stunned in disbelief. Hajime nudged him.

"You okay?" He murmured.

"I... y'know, I've heard those two talking about weird feelings when they've been trying to force themselves to remember shit. How they could tell something's not right but whenever they tried to think about it, it just gets away from 'em. I think... I think I get it now. I feel like I should remember something, I feel like I should be more upset than I am and the fact that I'm not makes me feel like shit."

Hajime nodded before patting Kuzuryuu's shoulder and kneeling next to Souda to help the poor guy to his feet. He tried to say something, to comfort the guy but his words dried up in his throat. Tears flooded the DJ's face and his entire body was shaking. He looked up, his beanie creating shadows over his face.

"Who did it?" He whispered, so quietly that everyone else had to strain to hear. "Who killed my best friend?! Why?! She's never done anything to any of you!"

His explosion was unexpected and had everyone standing in stunned silence as Souda stared angrily at them all, eyes watering and fists clenched. He was an ugly crier. His gaze was fixed on Hajime as he spoke up.

"Your... best friend, Souda?"

He wiped his eyes roughly with the heels of his palms before answering. "We've known each other since elementary school." Souda mumbled. "Never made it public knowledge. Media can be asses." His breathing started to even out and a determined thoroughly furious fire was now in his gaze and his voice and stance. "Whoever did this... whoever took my first and closest friend from me... she's practically my twin. We've barely been apart since we were five! I will not rest until I know who killed Peko and I am not forgiving them!"

 


	5. The Time She Pulled Him Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the five survivors were sinking into despair, a miracle happened to pull them all out. And who else would pull Kaz out of that endless sea but his best friend?

Junko had made so many valid points despite clearly being a manipulative bitch and so obviously playing with their minds and targeting their fears and confusion. Kaz absolutely hated to admit it but after everything... ugh, it sucked how things made so much horrifying sense! He couldn't get her words out of his head and suddenly, everything around him dimmed. He could no longer hear the others, he could no longer see anything but an inky blackness and that in itself was his worst fear; his senses being deprived. Having no sound to cling to. Even if his sight was dim or non existent, if he had sound he could deal with it. But not this. Anything but this! How did he deal with this himself when it was his own doing?! He couldn't get out. He couldn't escape. He had no future. Everything he'd dealt with so far wasn't his fault. The only thing that was his fault was how he couldn't keep Peko safe. He never should've let her wander off. He never should've gone to Hope's Peak. He didn't deserve a future. He didn't deserve his talent. He didn't deserve his best friend. Despair was his punishment. Despair was his karma.

"I can't leave him like this. I can't!"

What was... he heard something. No... just his imagination. There was nothing here in soundless hell.

"I never got to say goodnight! I never kept my promise! I have to apologise!"

There it was again. Maybe... maybe it was worth listening? It was sound. It was something.

"Please! I can't die like this! I have to see my best friend one more time! Please, God, let me see Kaz one more time!"

Kaz? That was his name. This voice was talking to him.

* * *

It was strange. Peko distinctly remembered dying. She remembered her body losing all strength and watching it bleed into the soil and into a puddle around her. She remembered trying to scream around the gag in her mouth to try and draw someone to her before she bled out but no one came. As her strength had left her, Peko remembered begging and pleading for her life, for less pain, to speak to her best friend one more time and warn him about Mikan and even apologise to Fuyuhiko. And while truly, things went blank for a very long time, as far as Peko's minimal consciousness was aware, it was instantaneous. She went from being pinned to the ground by the makeshift stakes impaled through her palms to floating in this endless space. Before her floated her best friend and at first, she was ecstatic! She could see her best friend one more time!

But something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

Kaz wasn't looking at her. In her direction sure but she could tell by the glassy expression that he wasn't really seeing her. His beanie wasn't pulled over his face and yet there were dark shadows over his expression as if there was a literal shadow just hanging over him and trying to possess him. No. Not trying to. Had possessed him. This was not her best friend. This was a mere shell of her best friend. As much as she wanted to slap him and yell at him... she knew what his father was like. Peko couldn't do that to him, it would only make things worse. So instead, she simply got in his face and kept her voice low.

"H-Hey Kaz... sup?" Silence. "This is the point where you say 'the sky' and grin like an ass. But I guess there's no sky here for that joke."

Kaz remained silent and it broke her heart to him so brokenly say her name as if he couldn't believe she was there. Frankly, Peko couldn't believe it either. She was sure she was dead. She was... right? Peko didn't want to be dead! But that was the last thing she remembered. This expression on his face. This was like... like... it seemed familiar. So so familiar, perhaps it was a school memory? All of those were gone after all thanks to Monomi. There was only one word she could use to describe this expression; despair. It felt horrifyingly familiar, it sent shivers up her spine, it made her stomach churn with dread but it was the only thing that made sense. Somehow. Her hands cupped his face, tilting her head up slightly. There was only an inch or two between their heights with Peko being the taller of the pair.

"Kaz, look at me. Whatever this is that's bothering you... it's not good. You're scared, I get it. I'm scared too. I mean... I'm pretty sure I-" Okay maybe that wasn't the way to go as the little life that had started to return was snuffed out again. "N-Never mind. What I mean is, you gotta keep moving. Whatever it is that's scaring you, be bigger than it. Fight against it. Move past it. You can do this and I'll be right there, I swear. I'm always there. You're my best friend, you're practically my twin. You were the first person outside of my family to give a damn. I'm not leaving you now in such a rough moment just because of... y'know."

She rested her forehead against his and wrapped her arms around his middle.

"I'm not going anywhere. I will be right here."

Peko buried her face in Kaz's shoulder and felt... lighter. She glanced down at her hands and froze. She was literally lighter to the point she was see through. Could she- no she didn't want to go yet! She promised him-

"Thank you... Peko. I'll fight for my future with you."

And with that, Peko found herself at ease and she smiled as things went dark for her once more.

* * *

Everyone else had spoken their minds as Hajime had brought them all out of Junko's little spell. It was strange. His vision was totally clearer, his hearing sharper than ever and Hajime... he was almost glowing. It only bolstered Kaz's confidence.

"For a second there, I was kinda lost cause... that bitch over there is annoyingly right. Technically. But it's only technically and she helped me realise that. Peko I mean. When I was lost in my despair and trapped in my own personal hell, I heard Peko when I never thought I would hear her again. She reminded me that she's always got my back just like I've always got hers. Walking towards this uncertain future, knowing we wrecked the world is terrifying. But my best friend is walking this path with me and if the two of us could face years of bullying and racism, then even if she's only spiritually with me, we can face this too!"


	6. The Time She Conversed With Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As sad and terrible as Chiaki's death was, it was simply the final nail in the coffin for Class 77. Brainwashing was a clever tactic however, any kind of rewiring the subconscious requires a few important things. 1) Consent. 2) The recipient somewhat agreeing with the ideas being planted in their subconscious. 3) Trust. So while Junko Enoshima probably didn't get consent, with her charisma and manipulation, she could have easily twisted the thoughts of Class 77 until they agreed enough to become extensions of her will. So how did that first conversation go?

A new school year had started and Peko was just wandering the halls looking for her friends. She had Yukizome as a teacher again and she couldn't wait! She was so cool! She'd brought everyone together and everyone had come out of their shells. Thanks to this gift of a teacher, Peko had watched her classmates blossom into amazing people; her best friend had even found love and it was beautiful and she was so happy for Kaz and Fuyuhiko. With it being the first week of school and now being a second year, Peko had decided to lay off of her usual tights, shorts, sports bra, sneakers combo and had instead shown up in the school uniform. First years were showing up today! She had to be a good role model now after all! Which was another reason the dancer was wandering around; she thought there might be a few lost nervous new students who were lost and would appreciate someone to point them in the right direction. Perhaps it was pure coincidence or perhaps it was fate the first person Peko spotted was sporting a huge fluffy pair of bleached pink pigtails.

"Hey there, you doing okay?" Peko asked kindly. The other girl turned around and Peko instantly recognised her. "Oh my God, I know you! The fashion girl! Oh my gosh, I love your stuff!"

As the other girl turned around, she smiled a big confident warm smile. "Yeah I think you've been in the same area as some of my shoots for interviews! Peko Pekoyama, right? The dancer?"

"That's me! Wow I guess your hard work and your talent got you a place here at Hope's Peak, huh?"

* * *

 The two girls wandered around the halls just chatting about their lives and comparing notes about places where they'd crossed paths but not necessarily met. Both were in the entertainment industry and compared notes on their experiences. They eventually wandered to the cafeteria and sat down to have a snack and a coffee.

"So you dance more than one style? And clash with the traditional dancer in your class?" Peko's new acquaintance was asking.

"Yeah a little. I respect Saionji and her skill because just learning one traditional style is difficult. There's a lot of history to recall, the outfits and accessories are actually really heavy so the fact that she can do multiple styles is amazing. But we don't really see eye to eye. I have no idea what her problem is, I'm civil with her and she's... herself with me." Peko explained.

"Did you guys ever seriously fight? have some kind of dance off?"

"No not really. We've been lucky enough to not cross paths that often."

Wow this girl seemed to want to really find something in this rivalry Peko had with Hiyoko. Peko just ignored the other girl most of the time as she'd rather not get dragged into something and be on the receiving end of Mahiru's protective wrath. Maybe model work was more competitive and bitchy than Peko realised.

"But you can't have gotten along with every photographer or model you've ever worked with."

She tapped her chin in thought. "Yeah true, it can get tense with certain people."

"Yeah exactly my point! Some personalities just clash."

"So why don't you one up her?"

A blink... two blinks. "I'm sorry?"

"Like do what you can to show Saionji you won't take her shit or that you're better than her."

"Well I mean... I've been tempted many many times before now because she's kind of a spoiled brat if you ask me. But wouldn't that make me just as bad as her?"

That warm smile on the model's face seemed to gain a sort of... edge to it. it still seemed warm to Peko and yet there was something in there that she wasn't sure she could describe. Nor did she know how to feel about it. A good thing or a bad thing? It was difficult to tell. Peko was both compelled and frightened by it.

"But maybe that's the only way she'll understand~"

"I... uhm... w-well I mean, you're probably not wrong. But I dunno if that's really the best way to go about things." Peko fought back a shudder as that compelling frightening feeling grew stronger. "I should go, I'm supposed to be meeting someone. Do you know your way to your classroom?"

"Oh yeah, I know the way." She chirped, her normal warm smile returning. "I'm just waiting on someone."

"Okay... well nice to meet you!" Peko bid her goodbye and calmly walked out before breaking into a run towards the stairs to the next floor where her classroom was.

* * *

As Peko got to her classroom, she leaned against the wall by the door and took a few minutes to let her breathing even out. A familiar head poked out the door and Peko instantly relaxed. Seemed Kaz had got here before her.

"Hey where were you?" He asked grinning before becoming concerned. She wasn't usually panicked and the first day of school was something they'd both been looking forward to. Not to mention, her eyes looked a little glassy. "Is everything okay?"

"Uh... honest answer?" Peko asked got a nod. "I'm not entirely sure. Bumped into a new student on the way up and... I dunno. She seemed nice enough but it's like. Ugh how do I describe it?"

But that seemed to be enough of an answer for her best friend as he whistled. "Damn, that kinda person? Well what kinda vibe did she give off?"

"I don't even think I can put words to that. She seemed perfectly fine and friendly and then the conversation got a little weird and there was this weird... edge to her smile and her words. Got my head feeling a little buzzy actually. I think that's the only way I describe it; warm and friendly on the surface but indescribable when she allowed that part to be seen. I was compelled by it but also kinda scared by it."

"What was her name?"

"Junko Enoshima. Y'know, that fashion girl?"


	7. The First Thanks Giving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When your heritage comes from multiple places, it's normal to try and keep up with all parts of it. Celebrating National Holidays despite not living in the same country where it is celebrated is just one way to do that.

As November brought in its cooler air and the colour changing leaves began to fall from the trees, there were many emotions flying around the elementary school classroom. Some were upset as it meant the end of the school year was fast approaching and some groups were being separated as they would be going to different middle schools. Others were just looking forward to Christmas and some of the local festivals. For Peko though? November was the count down to Thanksgiving. Her Dad and Grandmother were really great about letting her mom continue to celebrate it even though the holiday was kind of pointless in Japan; she would get full reign of the kitchen for the entire weekend and put out an incredible though not always perfect spread of food that never failed to put all of them into a food coma by mid afternoon. Thanksgiving and Fourth of July were huge parties in their house and every so often, mom's side of the family would fly over for a visit and stay the entire week! It was great! No planned flights this year, money was a little tight. That was fine, Peko understood. There would still be a long Skype chat later. So there she was, sitting on a swing in the playground not really swinging as she was daydreaming about turkey and gravy and deviled eggs when the swing next her rattled. She snapped out of her daydream to see Kaz sitting next to her, grinning in amusement.

"You look pretty happy about something." He teased.

"Well duh, Thanksgiving is this month! That means a whole table full of food I don't eat at any other time of the year!" She put a finger to her chin as she considered that statement. "Okay wait that's a lie. Mom does it for Christmas too but not as much. And she includes a lot more Japanese food for Daddy and Grandmother. But what about you?! You're celebrating too, right?!"

"Uhm..." Kaz hesitated, hand coming up to fiddle with the one single braid in his hair. A habit picked up from his mom, continued by himself and so far, Peko has only been allowed to braid it once. That was because his arms were still sore when he was recovering at her house. It had felt nice and soothing but it was still something sacred between him and his mom. "N-Not exactly." He mumbled.

Had it been any other time, Peko would have simply shrugged it off but just last month, Kaz had told her everything about his Dad. Her expression shifted to a frown as one hand let go of the chain on the swing to rest on his shoulder and gently squeeze it. Knowing now what his home life could be like when it got really bad, Peko had a feeling that Thanksgiving wasn't really celebrated at all.

"I mean I make myself some mashed potato and just eat it. Sometimes with a little gravy."

"That's hardly anything, Kaz." She hopped off the swing, pointing dramatically at her best friend. "That settles it! You're spending Thanksgiving with my family!"

"I'm sorry?"

"Nope. Don't apologise. I'm making this happen."

* * *

It had certainly taken a little convincing and negotiation for both Souda men but here Kaz was at his best friend's house and Peko was happily dragging him through the downstairs studio. It was empty at the moment with classes done for the day but her Grandmother was still there and going to the main portion of the house without greeting the matriarch of the house was practically sacrilege. Kaz still found it kind of jarring to watch Peko go from her usual bouncy self to soft and polite, kind of like the girls in traditional stories and the princesses in Western stories. She bowed as low as she could and smiled at the older woman.

" _I'm home, Grandmother. Did you have a good day?_ " She asked, sticking with Japanese as that was easier for her.

" _Welcome home, little bird. I had a very busy day teaching grace to hopeful dancers._ " Meiko replied, smiling and bowing back before pulling her granddaughter into a hug. " _And I see Souda-kun is visiting again today. Welcome back._ "

" _It's nice to see you again._ " Kaz politely responded.

" _We're going to head upstairs and help with dinner. Is there anything you want to have on the table?_ "

" _As long as I can drown something in soy sauce, I am happy._ "

Peko frowned and huffed, folding her arms. " _Grandmother, that much salt isn't good for you._ "

" _There's still life in me, little bird, now get upstairs and go help. Get this boy some good food and warmth._ "

Peko nodded and smiled, becoming a bouncy child again as she dragged Kaz upstairs to the main room and the kitchen. Already, there was the scent of herbs and sauces being mixed together by Peko's somewhat frantic mother. It was a lot to do and when it came to Thanksgiving, Robin Pekoyama tended to get rather possessive of the kitchen.

"Hi Mom!" Peko chirped as she skipped in and headed straight to the sink to wash her hands. She was allowed to help but only with small things like fetching ingredients, stirring things and making sure something doesn't boil over. That kind of thing. "Kaz and I are here!"

"Oh good! I could do with some extra hands!"

"Mom, you could always ask Daddy and Grandmother to help."

"They always start drifting to things that aren't really included in this meal. We're going full, thoroughly unhealthy American and then they can purge all those unhealthy toxins from our veins with healthier Japanese food tomorrow."

Peko rolled her eyes as she beckoned Kaz over. With both kids having nice clean hands, they got started. Both of them were in charge of the desserts for the time being. She was showing him how exactly to squish sugar and butter between their fingers for the crumble, having absolutely no problems with how messy it was. It was kind of nice watching him slowly relaxing and getting into it.

"How's it looking, kids?" Robin asked, peeking over their shoulders. "Hm... looking good!" She said, ruffling their hair. While Peko leaned into the familiar touch, her heart froze for a moment as Kaz seemed to still and fight the instinct to flinch. "You having fun, Kazuichi?"

"Y-Yeah I guess." Was his hesitant reply. The sudden touch had caught him off guard but it hadn't hurt which was nice. He just felt kinda irritated at himself because he knew Peko's family would never hurt him.

"Okay think I can pull you off this task to do something else just as messy?"

He was set up next to Peko with a fresh bowl of his own but now he was given some chopped herbs and nice smelling oils and told to just mush it all together in a bowl. It was messy and it got all over his fingers and under his nails and once all the tasks that he and Peko were allowed to do, his hands stunk for hours! But it had been so much fun! He'd even been allowed to help out with the mash potato and set aside a little just for him since Peko liked butter, cheese and milk in her mashed potato.

* * *

The house smelled amazing when everyone gathered at the dinner table where everything was laid out. At least, the main course was. Soups, broths, an amazing looking turkey, potato in several forms, plain and marinated vegetables, there were even some onigiri and tempura and basic sushi for Kou and Meiko to enjoy in case they only wanted a little Western style food. Kaz watched as Peko loaded her plate and the family happily passed around what each other wanted. Conversation flowed so naturally, easily switching between English and Japanese depending on the topic and the fluency of the speaker. Just from watching and listening, Kaz learned a lot of things. Peko was the only one perfectly fluent in both languages. Her mother, Robin, could speak just fine in Japanese and get through most conversations but usually had to take a bit of time with more complicated sentences. Her father Kou struggled a little with English that wasn't about dance or performing or small talk while her Grandmother Meiko could just about handle a basic conversation but was always trying to improve. The more warmth he was surrounded by, the easier it was for him to relax and start to chime in, matching Peko's fluency. He tried a little of everything until his stomach was too full to even think of taking any more and Peko was already leaning back in her chair rubbing her stomach and yawning. It had been pretty easy for the two friends to curl up together after the main meal and fall into a food coma. When energy returned to the family, it was time to get the desserts out; everything from store bought ice cream to chocolate bars that had been ordered in from the States and even pumpkin pie. The deal was that Kaz would spend the entire weekend with the Pekoyama family because a day was always needed to get over the food coma. Games were played, movies were watched and though Kaz still wasn't entirely comfortable with letting the adults in Peko's life getting close to him, it was the best Thanksgiving ever. It only got better when exactly a year later, he was invited round no questions asked.


	8. What If: Peko Never Met Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's amazing how a simple choice can cause a huge ripple effect on someone's life. But what about the flip side? What if Peko had never moved schools as a little girl and therefore, never met the boy who would become her best friend and help her become comfortable with and even embrace her mixed heritage?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many apologies for falling silent. I took up a lot of extra hours at work so I could have some spending money for a convention. Then I obviously attended that convention and as much as I love going, it was socially draining and I've been trying to bounce back whilst handling more over time at work. Writer's block and having not very many ideas hasn't exactly helped. I felt this was an important chapter to write as, if I've done this properly, it should help explain why this iteration of Peko is so bouncy and energetic. So without further ado, please enjoy.

Peko Pekoyama's day began early, five in the morning in fact. She showered, spending a little time just sitting under the hot water and contemplating things; things she'd overheard the day before, things she'd read online over the last few days, comments made to her face and let the water wash everything away. Her feelings towards those things, the foul words she wanted to respond with; her morning shower washed it all away along with tears. It made it easier to face the day and no one had to know. She washed her hair with her favourite shampoo though she was careful to keep her eyes shut to keep the suds out of her eyes and to make sure she didn't see her own hair; she was reminded enough of her differences by others, she didn't need to be reminding herself. Her favourite bodywash and facewash all scented like jasmine because it made her feel good and she needed that before stepping out of her dorm and attending lessons. Shower finished, she stepped out and wrapped her hair in a towel before starting to dry herself off, back to the mirror of course.

She threw on some loose pants and a tank as she headed back to her room and started digging through her wardrobe. Now then... which one did she want to wear today? Peko did have several kimonos, mostly light pastels to go with her skin tone and some had beautiful patterns and embroidery. It just depended on her mood and how much she wanted to avoid people. After much humming and gently holding a sleeve against her, she settled on a lovely pastel shade of pink with silver embroidered flowers along the sleeves and hems. She pulled it out and hung it on her wardrobe door before pulling out the matching sandals and heading to her vanity. Peko blinked at her reflection, ignoring the sudden onslaught of whispers about her too pale skin, her wider eyes, her odd hair and eye colour, how her her d sounds were too hard, how her vowels had a Western twang. She quickly blinked the tears away and took several deep breaths.

"I am Pekoyama Peko." She told herself, voice shaking with the effort of remaining steady and forcing her mother's accent out of her words. "I am a skilled Nihon Buyo dancer. I am a treasure at festivals. People enjoy my routines and fan work. As long as people want to see me, I have worth." She repeated these statements over and over until her voice evened out. She listened to a recording of herself on her phone and was satisfied with the result so she promptly deleted it and turned back to her mirror.

Her reflection was so... Peko couldn't really describe it with any neutrality or positivity. Magazines and socialites had described her as exotic whilst speaking in simpering tones and in the case of the gatherings, usually with sharp smiles meant to be gentle but Peko only saw knives. So she really only saw herself as a doll for others to enjoy and a mannequin for others to pose. If that was what made people happy, made people see her dances instead of looking too closely at her face and her parentage then so be it. She shook her head.

"Enough."

She firmly told herself before picking up a small plastic case and pulled a small bottle of cleaning solution towards her. She toko a breath and took out one coloured contact. She'd had to go to some lengths to get coloured prescription contacts that would make her naturally red eyes appear to be a much more normal brown; the fact that she was so efficient with getting them in was both kind of amazing and really sad as it meant she'd had a lot of practice. The feeling barely even bothered Peko anymore as she simply blinked a few times and got on with the other lense. Once both were in, she thoroughly cleaned her hands and went for her tinted moisturizer. With a coating of that and her tinted foundation, her pale skin gained a slightly yellower tint and these were the first step in her daily disguise. Next was eye liner and brows. Eye liner to trick the eye into believing her eye shape was a little more almond shaped and brows to disguise her natural colour. The towel was taken down from her hair and she carefully dried and brushed it. She hated this part because before the towel came off, Peko looked normal. She could blend in with people, she could meet their standards and then the towel would come off and remind her that there were more steps to go before her disguise was complete. With her hair dried and brushed, it was carefully tied up and tucked into a wig cap and meticulously pinned so it wouldn't move. Finally, the wig. It wasn't heavily styled, just a plain black wig with a bun though it had been a little pricey because she wanted it to be convincing. This too, was meticulously pinned with black pins so no one would notice. Hopefully. It had almost been spotted before but Peko had improved her technique over the years.

She felt so much lighter now that everything fit together like this. The brown eyes, the black hair; she looked so normal. She was no one who stood out unless she was on a stage at a festival. There was no reason to get comments today, right? No one would have a reason to pick her out of a crowd, right? Well... Peko could hope. It didn't mater how good her disguise was, someone would always pick something out. Finally, it was just her chosen kimono. It was easy to put all the layers on; she really only trusted her family to get that close to her so she'd figured out how to do it on her own. Last thing was the sandals and grabbing her fan before stepping out into the hallway to head to the cafeteria early to get food to squirrel away in the dance studio for the day.

* * *

She always went early, knowing that the Chef in her class was also up early to make sure he could feed everyone. Peko had already put in requests for what she wanted to eat today and always collected her breakfast and lunch in the morning. She would grab dinner just before dinner time which was always nerve wracking. But with no one else awake this early, Peko had nothing to worry about so she took both meals to the dance studio and got to work on her Nihon Buyo routines. She spent hours on this before finally having lunch and reaching into the supply cupboard and pulling out a dance bag. She carefully took off her kimono and changed into a pair of footless tights and a beige lycra ballet dress. She selected the Western playlist on her iPod and stood in the centre of the studio. Peko didn't think as she moved, only let down the dam that kept her emotions at bay, allowing them to fill her and allowing her music and mood to blend together as she danced everything out. Her emotions, he fear, her loneliness, her hatred; everything was thrown into her ballet. Her technique was flawless even as her frame shook and her movements were raw. Somehow, everything flowed together even as she improvised on the spot until she'd gone through about half of her playlist and she collapsed to the floor, face in her hands and make up running. She just sat there, for a few minutes before drying her eyes and digging out the spare make up in the supply cupboard and topped everything up.

"Five thirty..." She muttered to herself as she finished. "Time to get dinner."

* * *

She'd changed back into her kimono before leaving the studio and locked it behind her, tucking all of her secret things back in the supply cupboard and hiding them even though she was really the only one who used it. Not even the traditional dancer in her class bothered. Which was fine. The two of them didn't really see eye to eye anyway. Saionji had a larger following and was incredibly talented in all traditional styles while Peko had learned her own style at her grandmother's knee and had essentially inherited her grandmother's former title. A lot of work went into Peko's routines but sometimes, it felt like she hadn't really earned her place here; an inherited skill, an inherited title and she wasn't fully Japanese. Did she really deserve this when her genetics were tainted? And she wasn't the only one who'd asked, people online said it too. It was part of why she didn't bother with social media any more; it was more stress than she needed. It certainly didn't help that already, she could hear whispers as she made her way to the cafeteria.

"Isn't that Pekoyama? She looks a little different than on TV."

"I tried to say hi but she just shied away. What cold stuck up bitch."

"Did you know her mom was on Broadway in New York?"

"New York, America?"

"Yeah, you can see it in Pekoyama's eyes. Kinda big, right? Look she's wearing eyeliner, it's still a little smudged."

The more people whispered, the more Peko's heart raced and her speed picked up as much as it could with her sandals. She could feel her stomach churning, her palms sweating and she had to fight to keep her breathing under control. Even with all the effort she put in every morning, people picked out every little flaw in her disguise, they picked her apart, picked her clean like piranhas. It sent her into a spiral of panic, it reminded her of everything she hated about herself and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't hide it all. They always noticed. It was never enough. She was never enough.

She practically snatched her dinner from Hanamura before running back to the studio.

* * *

Peko locked the studio door behind her and leaned against it, breaths short and letting tears fall all over again. The thoughts spiraled in her mind, her stomach was in knots as every whisper replayed over and over again in her ears as if the speakers were right there. Her eyes were too big. Even with make up, her skin was too pale. She was cold. She was distant. She didn't deserve to represent Japan's festivals. She shouldn't be sharing the spotlight with Saionji. 

"Stop it."

Peko whined as she dropped the tupperware with her meal on the ground and clasped her hands over her ears.

"Stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it!" She screamed into the silent studio. "I know! I know I'm not enough! Just leave me alone!"

She couldn't exactly get comfort from her family as they lived so far away and if she listened to her mother for too long, her American twang would become more noticeable and her Japanese accent would fade a little. As much as Peko loved her American mother, her desire to fit in and be ignored was greater. So as usual, Peko was alone as her emotions got the better of her and then she fell into apathy before slowly nibbling on her dinner and then waiting until it was practically night time before slinking back to her dorm, shedding her disguise and showering again and falling into bed. She cuddled up to her favourite plushie and turned off her lamp. Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be better. Tomorrow had to be better.


	9. What If: Friendship Formed Further Down The Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When our two leads have already lead lives where they've already been stomped down, where they've not had each other to rely on, where they've given in to the words and the jeers and the comments of others, can a friendship be formed? Can the cracks in their confidence begin to be fixed?

It was a well known fact that Peko Pekoyama didn't socialise with anyone. Many thought she was simply cold or stuck up, some figured she was just busy though the smart ones realised that she was painfully shy but still didn't like the fact that the Nihon Buyo dancer didn't put any effort into overcoming that. However, even the smart ones were somewhat wrong. Peko wasn't just shy; she was scared. People muttered things about her all the time and they weren't subtle about it. Peko didn't want or need to be around that all the time; she'd had enough of it at elementary and middle school when her only place to hide had been home. At least at Hope's Peak, she now had the dance studio and had the option of not seeing anyone all day unless she was grabbing dinner that Hanamura had cooked. Well... there was one exception... and it had happened completely by chance. There was a DJ in her class, Souda Kazuichi, who had somehow wormed his way past her walls and fears just enough that she didn't mind it when he sat quietly in the corner of the dance studio with his music. She had no idea what he was doing, he was just another classmate and she knew nothing about mixing or editing music or collecting soundbytes. But there he would sit with his music player, headphones and iPod quite comfortable in the corner and completely ignoring anything she did. Or at least, as far as she was aware. It did mean that Peko couldn't vent until he was gone so would have to put up with her wig slipping and her contacts starting to get uncomfortable until he chose to leave.

He was an odd boy; almost overly plain with his black hair and blue eyes and the beanie he would often pull down to hide his eyes. But that was the thing, he was too plain the same way Peko was too plain. Peko got the distinct impression that he was hiding just like she was and perhaps that was why she didn't mind him sitting in her studio. Frankly the first couple of times had been a fluke. Peko had heard mumbling outside that wasn't directed at her; though the wording and tone was definitely similar, the pronouns were all wrong. He and him so definitely hadn't been about her so when she'd shyly peeked through her door, there Souda had been with his head down and shoulders hunched as he wandered by with his laptop and his headphones. The expression on his face had been one of total despair and dejection, something that Peko had seen in the mirror for many many years. So she'd tapped his shoulder and invited him in where it was quiet and Peko just got on with some traditional drills and fan movements and looked over a few choreography briefs. But this had soon become a regular thing and seeing as he was polite and occasionally brought a snack with him and otherwise left her alone, Peko saw no problems with this. They didn't get involved with each other's lives and didn't really communicate at all... well. Except for blaring song lyrics at each other occasionally. That got interesting fairly quickly as they'd had to challenge their knowledge of popular music in Japan as well as the Western world and find the right place in the track on their music players to blare it out of their respective speakers. It was a good brain exercise and oddly... fun?

* * *

When Kazuichi had found some odd sanctuary within the shy dancer's studio, he hadn't expected to find an excellent answer to an assignment he'd picked up with a video editor in another class. They wanted to create a music video promoting the arts so was actually getting several others in on this project; designers for costumes and flyers as it was going to a festival and competition, Souda to mix the music and sing seeing as he'd accidentally revealed that little hobby, all they needed was a dancer. Ballet or contemporary, something expressive and flowing. Before earning a place in her sanctuary, Kazuichi had actually seen Peko's little secret. There had been one time where she hadn't quite closed the door properly and when he'd peeked in, he'd seen her in ballet gear and removing her wig and contacts. He saw an empty tupperware box that had clearly had hot food in it and had watched her get lost in the music and move with such grace and raw emotion. Her title was Nihon Buyo dancer wasn't it? How did she know a style that was so different from the one she was known for? Not only that, she disguised her natural hair and eye colour. He had no idea that she had natural silver hair and red eyes. He had no idea she was such a graceful and expressive dancer. He could see the tears from here and he recognised that music. So did that mean Pekoyama was fluent in English like him?

But that was a reason to hang around on a slightly more regular basis. To try and convince Pekoyama to join this little project because she was damn good. Problem was, after that, he'd never seen her in anything but her traditional gear. He was trying to lower her walls if only to get this damn project done cause it had been looming over him and the others for several weeks now because they didn't have a dancer that suited the project. It was a good thing the deadline was several weeks away. They'd started up some kind of game or communication where they would blast out song lyrics at each other. It was kind of fun watching her freeze in place and try to interpret what he'd chosen and then look for a response. It was the one time, apart from the time he'd accidentally spied on her, that he saw a glimpse of the real Pekoyama. A girl who loved music and had learned and fallen in love with a great deal of it. Sometimes she would go for generic J-Pop and J-Rock, sometimes she tried to trip him up with Western music. A couple of times she'd stumped him with traditional folk music. Watching her face and eyes light up as she figured out a response was kind of satisfying. Despite all this, watching her closely and developing this odd method of communication, Kazuichi felt nothing romantic towards her. If anything, she was just kind of interesting and a breath of fresh air. Beyond that... nothing.

When he arrived at the studio that evening, the door was unlocked. This didn't happen often but he was always touched to know that Pekoyama trusted him enough to go in while she was getting dinner. He was hoping to drop some hints about the project today and maybe even start a verbal conversation. It was a good half an hour before Pekoyama showed up, looking terrified. She'd clearly been in a rush as her obi had come a little loose and her kimono was slipping from her shoulder a little. Even her usually well pinned wig was a little askew with a few flyaway strands of silver hair poking through. He could see in her expression that she was terrified and frantic as she ran over to the storage cupboard and started rifling through it.

"Is everything alright?"

* * *

"Is everything alright?"

A soft voice asked and Peko froze in place, looking around fearfully. Souda was there. Just sitting there in the corner. Oh... she must've forgotten to lock the door behind her when she went for her food. She'd assumed he was busy today. The dinner run had been awful and she couldn't even let herself vent because Souda was right there! He would see! If she'd seen through his disguise, he'd probably seen through hers but her true appearance was so obviously striking and different and wrong. He would hate her! He would use all the names the others used! Monster. Demon. Whore. Half cast. Not worthy of her title. She should go back to America. Peko had never lived in America! She was born and raised in Japan! She shakily reached for her iPod and flicked through it before settling on a song. It was instrumental, nothing but violin music and she could see Souda's recognition of the tune as she headed towards him to push him out.

"Song of the Caged Bird..." She heard him mutter.

Peko kept pushing, kept trying to get him to leave as her already weak facade crumbled before him and still he wouldn't! Leave! Why?! Why couldn't he go and let her vent in peace?! Her music choice should've made her mood obvious! She was trapped. She couldn't get out. She couldn't let her feelings out. She raised her fists to beat them against his broad chest in frustration and felt him tense up and flinch. Oh... right... she'd caught flashes of the bruises under his long sleeves. Maybe she was jumping the gun but this was too obvious. So her shaking fists lowered and she backed off into her corner by the storage cupboard, wrapping her long draping sleeves around her and burying her face in her knees. Her shoulders shook as she struggled to hold back sobs.

" _You with the sad eyes. Don't be discouraged._ "

English... that was English. It was obviously Souda, he was the only other person here and she hadn't heard him leave. Peko was a dancer, she worked with music all the time, her hearing was almost as good as Mioda's. She could pick out things like this. Peko didn't know Souda could sing, he sounded quite nice actually.

" _Oh I realise, it's hard to take courage in a world full of people. You can lose sight of it all, the darkness inside you can make you feel so small._ "

She heard his footsteps and raised her head a little to see where he was and he was crouching in front of her, letting her have her space but sitting there too. His own eyes were watery, he was shaking too. Had he heard some of the comments? Was he affected by her raising her fists earlier? Peko didn't understand and frankly she didn't care as she turned away from him.

" _I see your true colours shine through. I see your true colours and that's why I like you._ "

Like... not love. Not professing a crush, just trying to cheer her up and perhaps himself too. In shock, Peko looked up, meeting his eyes and furiously wiping at her tears, smearing her make up all down her face. It was already smudged on her sleeves so she would have to hand wash this kimono. Plus he'd skipped an entire verse... maybe it was to keep their tradition with only using random lines from songs that fit the current conversation.

"I know what you keep in there." Souda admitted quietly, switching back to Japanese and gesturing to the door behind Peko. "I... saw you once. I don't mind, honest. You wanna let everything out, right? I... kinda have that problem right now too. S-So... may as well work together, right? I'll sing, you dance and maybe we can both feel a little better."

As terrifying as it was to take down every piece of her disguise, Peko did it and changed in the cupboard. She stepped back out looking and feeling incredibly vulnerable, wrapping her now cardigan clad arms around herself. She genuinely loved her kimonos even if they could be a little heavy at times but the draping sleeves could be incredibly comforting. As discussed, Souda started singing and Peko moved with him, hesitantly at first until her emotions finally took her. They meshed together fairly well considering they were both terrified. Souda sang his heart out and Peko added her own with her dance until they were both done and all cried out and just laying on the floor of the dance studio on their backs. Souda extended a shaking hand.

"Hi... I'm Souda Kazuichi."

Peko blinked at it before slowly extending her own hand. "Hello, I'm Pekoyama Peko."


	10. The Time They Were Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were separated by death but now, by some miracle, they have been reunited. Of course it takes a little while for things to go back to some semblance of normality but things will never be exactly the same.

Harsh frantic beeping was what awoke Peko and she tried to move her arm to turn off her alarm clock. Though she didn't remember setting it to a tone like that; it was so loud! Wow she must be really tired if her arm was that heavy, she felt like she could barely move. Must've been some session yesterday... or maybe it was a competition or interview or something. It was hard to recall. Actually, now that Peko thought about it, there were a lot of things that she couldn't quite recall as if her mind were a thick swamp and there were so many missing bits too. Weird. The more Peko tried to raise her arm to reach for something, the more she seemed to just float through this empty space; it was kind of terrifying but there wasn't a whole lot she could do. She felt... weighed down. Like she didn't really exist. But she had to, didn't she? She could hear something, she just had to follow it and find the sou... the source.

Had that big bright white light always been there?

Well that was an easier thing for her to follow! Seeing as she couldn't paddle or swim or otherwise physically force herself there, Peko decided to just sort of will herself there. It didn't make much sense in her head but it seemed to be working though the closer she got, the louder that alarm got and it was kind of terrifying. As Peko bathed in that light, she felt feeling return to her limbs and reached up to try and find something only to feel some kind of hard surface. Her eyes finally opened and she was blinded by light and deafened by a siren and she couldn't move that much. Faces were hovering above her and there was something holding her in. Holding... her... in... oh. Oh God she was trapped! Both fists raised to start weakly pounding against the glass surface keeping her there and tried to scream only to feel a mask over her mouth. One hand went to it to wrench that mask from her face as she struggled. What the hell was going on?!

"Peko!" A voice interrupted her panicking and she froze. She knew that voice. Her vision cleared a little and she noticed that the sirens had finally stopped.

Black hair with pink ends, blue eyes hidden by glasses, beanie... one strand braided. The memory was there, it was right there, she knew that face, Peko was sure of it!

* * *

A lid was finally lifted and she felt hands on her arms. Immediately Peko flinched away or tried at least. Her body felt so wrong. It didn't feel like hers. It felt weak and frail. Hazy red eyes looked down at pale hands and thin legs; this was her body... it was. It really was her body! It had to be... but how did she not remember letting herself get into this state? As a dancer, particularly ballet, she was naturally incredibly slim but her limbs were toned and even when still she could feel every inch of control she had over every muscle and nerve. She'd worked hard to learn control, to learn poise and balance and the history and culture of the styles she embodied and threw herself into. Years of going through fan movements with her grandmother and strengthening her wrists for Nihon Buyo, years of doing warm ups and stretches and drills with her mother and her ballet teacher to gain the core strength and the balance and grace needed for ballet and taking care of herself with a good diet. But now? She wasn't just slim, she was skeletal. Sun kissed skin now ghostly pale like... like... someone else bordering on the edge of her memory. 

Actually, now that Peko thought about it, it wasn't just her body that was different and so so off. Her mind too. She was seeing people all around her, so many people and she could tell she knew them but their names and how she knew them just seemed to escape her. It was frustrating and terrifying because until she remembered who these people were, they were strangers to her. The hands that she suspected were meant to steady to her felt clammy and unwelcome. The first face she saw was shooing everyone else away before approaching some kind of console and turning it off. Once done, he sat by the bed thing she was on. He was twitchy, like he wanted to reach out to her but was purposefully holding himself back. The others felt familiar and yet not but this one, with the braid in his hair and the glasses and the friendly eyes, this one seemed familiar. Part of her was crying out for him so why was she holding back? Why was Peko still so scared? He smiled gently at her and she felt warmth spread through her, felt her tense muscles relax and once again, a deep recently awakened part of her soul screaming for him.

"Hey Peko... sup?" He mumbled, giving her a watery smile.

Wasn't it strange that such a simple phrase sparked something in her memory? Quick snatches and flashes of her saying the same thing to him and both of them laughing at the following conversation. Her eyes hazed over as she tilted her head, just staring at the boy until the next words, the familiar response, came to her.

"The sky."

* * *

 

It was only two words, spoken softly but it meant so much to both of them and Peko found herself trying to push herself into a sitting position. Even this simple action had her arms shaking with the effort and the boy shot up from his seat immediately steadying her and silently helping her up. Peko blinked in surprise. Him being so close and touching her, it didn't feel bad. It was comforting actually. Kaz had always been a comfort though, why was that a surprise? The sudden thought made her freeze in place and look at the boy as if she were finally seeing something bright for the first time.

"Kaz." She murmured. "You're Kaz." A name... well a nickname really. But something clicked into place in her mind as she spoke the name and watched his face morph into a bright hopeful smile.

"You remember! You remembered something!" He looked so happy, it made Peko smile too. "Is it okay if I hug you?"

"Of course."

The warm arms wrapped around her and once again, Peko felt so safe as more small facts clicked into place. Kaz's full name was Kazuichi. His birthday was the day before hers. They'd been best friends since they were small. They'd bonded over the fact that they were both half American. Just small simple things but it helped fill the voids in her mind and made her a little more comfortable with the fact that there was so much missing in her mind. It was going to take some time to accept the state she was in and that it would take a while to get back to where it was but this was a good start. Peko was just starting to relax against her best friend when the door opened again and a head peeked through. Young in the face with a single golden eye as the other was hidden by an eye patch. Without her glasses, Peko couldn't see much more than that from here but she felt herself tense up again.

"How's she doing, Kazzie?" The voice asked. It was huskier and more gravelly than Kaz's voice and once again, Peko felt she should recognise him. She felt horrible that she found herself hiding in her best friend's arms instead of facing this other boy. And apparently he noticed as she watched him deflate and felt Kaz's shoulders sag a little too.

"Give it time." Was all Kaz said to the other boy who nodded in response and quietly left. "You know him. You know all of us. We're in the same boat too, we've just been awake longer so we've had more time to bring some memories back and make sense of things." His voice was quiet and soothing, his hand on her back making gentle circles and relaxing her. "It's scary now and the memories that come back... not all of them will be good. But I'll be here for you and so will the others once you're comfortable with them. I've always had your back. Just trust me and when you're ready, trust the others too. They're good people. Okay?"

"Okay."


	11. The Time They Assessed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you are considered different and other, sometimes the best fun can come from people watching and noticing that you aren't really as different as they seem to think. People watching with a friend and assessing their appearances can make a dull afternoon incredibly fun.

"Hm... that guy right there with the edgy cape?"

"The one that's clearly taken by miss confectionery?"

"We're deciding if we find them physically attractive or not, we're not actually going to ask any of these people out."

Peko rolled her eyes at her best friend's point before properly observing the blacksmith from the class above them. He seemed a little on edge, small knives hanging from his belt as he seemed to hover by the equally tiny frame confectioner girl. It was a well known fact that the two were somehow an item... Peko and Kaz still couldn't quite figure out how considering the two, from what they had observed, were complete opposites.

"Nice face and the confidence is pretty great but that voice does not fit plus he's taken. I'd say a six out of ten."

"Four." Kaz replied after a quick observation of his own. "His obsession with sweets is a little weird. Think his girlfriend is spiking them? They are both friends with the chemist and we know what kind of stuff that girl can make."

Peko's face flushed and she hid behind her hands. "We promised never to speak of that incident! It was a class wide agreement!"

"Okay okay! Uhh... oh hey looks like Tanaka's done with his animals for the time being. He's a good looking guy and I bet he hits your voice kink." Kaz gently teased as their classmate passed by their watching spot.

"Kaz I swear to God. And it's not a kink! It's an appreciation! There's a damn difference!"

"It's a good thing most people aren't fluent in English.~"

Peko groaned again at that as she let her gaze drift over Gundam. "And yes, he's got a voice like velvet and a really nice face but he's so _chunibiyo_ , I'm surprised no one else noticed it. We don't know the real Tanaka and that's a real shame, he'd be a lot more attractive if he were more honest with us and himself. But he is pretty interesting and he's got a good sense for aesthetics at least."

"So another five?"

"Oh please, you know you're ranking him similarly."

Another older student became the next topic of debate; a burlesque dancer dressed similarly to Peko with the shorts and sports bra but also wearing a tank and fishnets and strutting by confidently with her low heels. Peko was immediately fanning herself a little and rated the girl incredibly high. Kaz ranked a little lower and that sparked up a debate with Peko proclaiming her fellow dancer a Goddess and Kaz admitting that yes, she was attractive but not his type and that it wasn't shallow when the entire point of this was to assess based on what they were personally attracted to. The friends fell silent for a few minutes after that, enjoying lunch and just watching the interactions of their fellow students. The lucky guy from the class below seemed like a sweet boy and even briefly shyly waved at the two of them. Peko was quite happy to wave back. She really hoped nothing bad happened to that guy. Peko and Kaz agreed that he was a precious little bean and should be protected at all costs. As they got up to head back to their activities, they spotted Fuyuhiko. He was probably headed back to class and Kaz's music studio and the school dance studio were in roughly the same direction but they kept their distance and started assessing their short tempered classmate.

"He's a nice guy under the short temper and have you ever seen him eating _karinto_ when he thinks no one is looking?" Peko mumbled. "It's adorable."

"He's got a crude mouth but yeah, he's pretty cute. Great ass too." Kaz casually commented making Peko blink in surprise. "What?"

"You been observing without me?" At his blush, she smirked mischievously. "Oooohhhh I see what this is~"

"Th-There's nothing to it! It's just an opinion!"

"But why were you looking at his ass in the first place~?"

" _...I can't understand you but you guys know I can hear you, right?_ " Fuyuhiko curtly told them before fixing them both with a mild glare and stalking off again.

"...well that could've gone better." Peko commented as the yakuza disappeared round the corner. "See you later, Kaz!" She sang and headed up the stairs to the dance studio.


	12. The Time Peko Was A Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peko will do just about anything for her best friend, including telling a little white lie.

When Peko had checked her phone while taking a break from choreographing, her stomach had turned to lead as she'd seen the text from her best friend. Code Red. Two simple words and she was in a state of determined panic. She immediately put her sneakers on and dashed out of the dance hall to the main foyer to meet the reason Kaz had sent her that text. Standing there looking thoroughly unimpressed, was a tall over bearing man with an intimidating aura. Broad shoulders, dark sharp eyes and messy dark hair; Ikaru Souda was not a pleasant man to be around and this was the first time Peko had actually met and been forced to interact with him. She had only heard things about him and seen the evidence of his strength littering her best friend's skin.

"Good afternoon, Souda-san, what brings you to Hope's Peak Academy today?"

Polite words, soft voice and gentle movements as she bowed and gestured with her arms, letting her slee-... fuck. Peko wasn't wearing her kimono. She'd been working on ballet today and was standing before the man in shorts, sneakers, ankle warmers and a sports bra. Hardly the best impression to make when she was slipping into her socialite persona. She glanced up from her bowed position and saw that Ikaru wasn't unimpressed and also wasn't checking her out. Okay. Good. That was something.

"You're the Pekoyama girl, ain'tcha?" He asked, his voice gruff and stern.

Peko nodded again, giving the man her politest smile. "I wasn't aware you knew of me, Souda-san, but yes I am Pekoyama Peko. Your son is a treasured classmate of mine and a wonderful representative of this school. I enjoy any and all projects we team up for." Her words were smooth and sweet like honey, meant to butter up the listener but for once, Peko was being one hundred percent truthful as she employed this tactic. Any other time and she would be vague as all hell or lying through her teeth to please elitist pricks in high society.

"Ain't hard to hear about you. He mentions you a lot. Speaking of Kazuichi, he left something behind last time he visited. Figured I'd check the school out while finding him."

He pulled something out of his pocket which Peko immediately recognised. It was a small trinket from Kaz's mother that Kaz had kept for years and used to ward off stage fright. He'd carried it in his pocket ever since she'd known him. Question was, how the hell had Kaz managed to lose something so precious and not notice?

"I'm not sure where your son is right now, his duties as a DJ have him wandering around constantly but I'd be happy to take it to him later for you and even provide a short tour of the school. Guests aren't permitted to wander alone, I'm afraid, school policy."

Anything to keep this man from wandering around and possible seeing Kaz and Fuyuhiko together. But apparently this went over pretty well as Ikaru seemed to size her up before nodding in approval though his stern expression didn't really change.

"Sure. You've clearly got a sensible head on your shoulders. 'm sure we'll find my boy eventually."

 

Peko lead the way down the hall, making a show of deciding which way to go before purposefully leading him away from the creative departments and leading him towards the more academic departments. She didn't know where Kaz was hiding but she didn't expect him to be hiding around here. She had brief conversations with a few other students who were wandering around; the writer in Class Seventy-Eight A, both of the detectives, the programmer. She even managed to catch her classmate Tsumiki.

"I've been meanin' ta ask. You his girlfriend?" The question made Peko pause in her walking as she was leading him to the outdoor fields. "Cause if so, he did a damn good job."

"O-Oh uhm..."

Peko had a choice to make here. Kaz was bi and currently dating Fuyuhiko, not that the general public knew of course. In fact most gossip mags still assumed there was a secret relationship between her and Kaz, believing both of them to be straight. Considering what Peko knew of Kaz's father, it would be a bad idea to accidentally out him. But Peko wasn't sure if Kaz would be okay with the lie and she couldn't exactly try and ask him; Ikaru would notice! But the only way to keep him safe would be to lie and Peko currently had a role to play for the man so she nodded and bowed again.

"I am but a simple dancer. However, you are correct and we have been blessed that the media haven't found out yet. We'd rather have the media focus on our skills in music and dance respectively rather than using us as gossip material so we've done our best to keep quiet about it. We might both be used to the attention from paparazzi but even we have limits and we would rather earn money from our talents."

Her piece said, Peko continued to lead the way outside.

"Uh huh. Sure. His talent." He sounded so dismissive and Peko turned this over in her mind. Did he not approve then? She decided she didn't want to push the subject so just let it be.

She lead the way around the running track, the various sports courts and fields and even took him back inside to visit the indoor gardens and the dojo before circling back to the Main Foyer. His phone went off and she heard half a conversation before he handed her the little trinket and disappeared. Work had to be attended to apparently but that was fine. As soon as he was gone, Peko dropped the attitude and whipped out her phone, texting Fuyuhiko first. Kaz would be in too much of a panic after hearing his father was wandering around.

dancer_gurl: where u @?

9th dragon: Equip sheds behind baseball court.

dancer_gurl: asshole gone + im on my way


End file.
